Women in cycling
- Thread starter classic33
- Start date
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OP
OP
classic33
Leg End Member
Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't Piranello do a pink bike for men in the late 80's.Nope, should be judged by how many pink and pastel-coloured bikes they sell....
swansonj
Guru
Oh yes we are...
jefmcg
Guru
I've said this elsewhere, but I've been brushed off at more than one cycle store: ignored; pushed towards flat bar when I specifically asked for drop bars; responded with a casual shrug of the shoulders when I asked why women's framed bikes cost an extra £100 for the same spec'd men's frame.
jefmcg
Guru
and it would help to have a little less of this sort of throw back "humour" here
I thought of doing the shopping on the bike , then thought better of it as shopping is women's work, and sent the wife on the bus whilst i washed an polished the car and bike.
JoeyB
Go on, tilt your head!
- Location
- Fareham, Hampshire
And Planet X - in their current line up. Not to mention all those Bianchi's!
OP
OP
classic33
Leg End Member
Maybe there being put off asking, because they don't see what they want.
There's been any amount of "stupid questions" asked over equipment. And a common response being go elsewhere to get what you want if its not in one place.
welsh dragon
Thanks but no thanks. I think I'll pass.
Maybe women are put off by the salesmens attitude towards them?
Possibly, but I would have thought most bike shops would know what sells and what does not.
Not sticking up for them as I would like to see a lot more women's bums on bikes ( that does not sound like it should) Maybe a women's specific cycles chain of shops, owned by women and staffed by women.
No, I do not go with this one, women are far more scarey than men. You ask any married bloke.
swansonj
Guru
A step through frame is clearly not the optimum design for a bike, other things being equal (if it were, all bikes would have step-through frames)
Therefore, assuming that women need a step through frame is assuming a woman needs a product that is in at least one respect inferior.
There are valid reasons for producing a bike that sacrifices one aspect of optimum design to favour another - folding bikes for instance, or bikes for people with limited leg mobility.
If a woman wants a bike she can ride in a skirt, or a bloke wants a bike he can ride in a skirt (or kilt if you insist), then they should be offered such a bike. But it's still difficult to escape the association "woman - not a serious cyclist - give her a sub optimum design".
Therefore, assuming that women need a step through frame is assuming a woman needs a product that is in at least one respect inferior.
There are valid reasons for producing a bike that sacrifices one aspect of optimum design to favour another - folding bikes for instance, or bikes for people with limited leg mobility.
If a woman wants a bike she can ride in a skirt, or a bloke wants a bike he can ride in a skirt (or kilt if you insist), then they should be offered such a bike. But it's still difficult to escape the association "woman - not a serious cyclist - give her a sub optimum design".
vickster
Squire
Where the shops do bother to stock a range of women's kit, it often goes no bigger than a size 14 on the shop floor, while you can get an XXL (UK sizing in men's)
Not all women who ride road bikes are built like a pro cyclist FFS! And some of us are prepared to buy clothing in shops rather than having to dig around online for the one shop that may have a larger size (and then charges for return postage when it doesn't fit)
Rant over
Not all women who ride road bikes are built like a pro cyclist FFS! And some of us are prepared to buy clothing in shops rather than having to dig around online for the one shop that may have a larger size (and then charges for return postage when it doesn't fit)
Rant over
marzjennings
Legendary Member
- Location
- Houston, Texas, USA
It's because no one watches them on TV. For the most part sport is seen as entertainment, entertaining things get televised, ratings measure the success and therefore the value of the entertainment. If no one is going to watch it, then no one is going to sponsor it and there's no money to support the player/riders.
OP
OP
classic33
Leg End Member
Why not more women in the shops we already have.
Creating a seperate market may well increase the cost and further distance women fron mainstream cycling!
Niche market normally equates to higher prices. Whatever your selling.
I posted this on the Women's Tour thread earlier. It's a long read for an article but well worth it and says a lot about Women's racing near the end and whether we've reached a tipping point.
http://www.theguardian.com/sport/10...alfonsina-strada-giro-italia-woman-grand-tour
http://www.theguardian.com/sport/10...alfonsina-strada-giro-italia-woman-grand-tour
